A struggling mum faces the agony of having to sell her home as the council TRIPLES her disabled son's care bill.

Mark Stather, who has a number of complex learning difficulties and requires round-the-clock care, makes a weekly contribution of £13.50 out of his benefits towards the cost of his care at Pennine Day Centre in Bransholme, where he attends Monday to Friday.

But he was sent a letter this week from Hull City Council informing him he will be required to increase his weekly contribution to £45.44, with effect from July 2.

Now, his mum Carole Stather - who is her son's full-time carer - faces a heartbreaking dilemma - sell her two-bedroom semi-detached home in Tudor Drive, off Beverley Road, or reduce the number of days he attends the centre.

CONCERNED: Carole Stather says she may have to sell the family home to afford the hike in care costs

Mrs Stather, 61, said: "It's beyond a joke. It's absolutely disgraceful. How are we going to afford such an increase? How many others in Hull is this happening to?"

'I might have to sell my home'

A specially-adapted minibus collects Mr Stather, 44, who sometimes requires a wheelchair, at 9.20am and takes him to the day centre, where his mother says he receives a good standard of care. He arrives home at 3.15pm.

"He's not there long," said Ms Stather. "But it gives me a few hours to do the jobs that are needed around the house.

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"I'm up at 5 o'clock every day. I have to do everything for Mark - helping him go to the toilet, shaving him, showering him, you name it.

"It's likely I will have to reduce the days he goes to the centre to pay for this increase, that will make life even harder, or sell the home. Both are decisions I wouldn't take lightly but I can't see any other option if I'm honest."

HAPPY: Mark Stather enjoys attending Pennine Day Centre in Bransholme

In addition to contributions towards day centre fees - classed as a "non-residential service charge" - the family must find £25-a-week to cover Mr Stather's bus fares, £85-a-week for various activities and 75p-a-day for drinks.

Ms Stather, who was made redundant from her job as a cook at the former Scallywags Day Nursery in Beverley last year, insists there has has been no marked change in the family's income.

'Money is extremely tight'

She and her son are both in receipt of a number of benefits. It would appear from the letter sent to Mr Stather that his care package is not changing.

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"Our income is not going up," said Ms Stather. "So can someone explain why my son's care costs are going up like this?"

Mr Stather has attended Pennine Day Centre since 2014. Prior to that, he attended George Ashton Centre in Orchard Park.

They struggle to make ends meet at it is, explained Ms Stather, who has two other sons, Robert, 38, and Andrew, 30.

"Mark is a really happy person," she said. "He likes to watch football. He loves going to the pub for a meal but we struggle to go. Money is extremely tight for us."

What the council say

In a statement, Hull City Council say: "In December 2017, the council agreed some changes to the Adult Social Care charging and financial assessment policy. We did this to ensure that we are providing a fairer service to all people who use the services.

"The policy re-aligned the council's approach to charging with statutory requirements in the Care Act 2014, and the assessments also take into account people’s expenditure, as opposed to solely on their income as it previously did.

"These changes brought the council in line with other local authorities who had already implemented similar policies."

Anyone who is concerned about any letters that they receive should call the council on 01482 300 300.

CLOSE: Mark Stather lives with his mum, Carole Stather, who is his full-time carer

'Families need more support, not less'

Chloe Wright, head of policy at Carers UK, a national charity that supports carers, said many disabled people and their carers are seeing their finances squeezed ever tighter.

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She said: "Pressure on local authority social care budgets means we are increasingly hearing from people supporting an older or disabled family member that they are being asked to pick up more care themselves or somehow find the money to pay increasing charges for vital back up support from care workers and day centres.

CORRESPONDENCE: The letter sent to Mark Stather

"Our research published only this week for Carers' Week found that 72 per cent of unpaid carers reported poor mental health such as stress and anxiety as a result of their caring role with major stressors, including financial worries and not getting enough sleep. Over half reported their physical health has suffered as a result of their caring role.

"The value of care being provided by unpaid carers is worth a staggering £132bn each year, yet carers themselves are seeing their own mental and physical health suffer as they struggle without enough practical and financial support. Families need more support, not less, to care without putting their own mental and physical health at risk."